Detergent



Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE DETEBGENT,PENETRATING, AND WETTING COM10SITION Wheeler Ylhllavey, State College,Pa.,

Hercules Powder Company, Wilmin assignor to gton, Del.,

'somma This invention relates to Van improved detergent, penetrant, andwetting agent for use in. the wet-scouring processes of the textile andlaundry industries.

5 Heretofore it has been known that pine oil has detergent, penetrant,and wetting properties, and it has been used as such in the textile andlaundry industries in conjunction with an emulsifying agent such as asoap. However, pineoil has not proved entirely satisfactory for use inscouring in the textile industry due to the fact that when it is usedunder the high temperature conditions customary in scouring textiles, apenetrating pine odor is given off, which is obnoxious to some persons;and due to the fact that in many instancesmaterial scoured with use ofpine oil carries the odor thereof.

Now, in accordance with this invention it has been found that aterpineolm, such as, for example,

2o alpha-terpineol, a constituent of pine oil obtained,

. for example, by the steam distillation of pine wood, or a mixture Aofterpineols, provides an excellent detergent, penetrant and wettingragent for use in the wet-scouring' of textiles, either alone 5 or Wheredissolved or emulsied in water through the medium of an emulsifyingagent, and one free from the objections heretofore noted with referenceto pine oil.

Alpha-terpineol has a pleasant higher initial boiling point than pineoil. Also, it is more readily dissolved or emulsed in water than is pineoil and does not produce any objectionable odor under high temperatureconditions, nor leave any objectionable odor traceable to it in scouredmaterial.

invention may be pure alpha-terpineol, or it may be of the commercialgrade comprising a mixture of terpineols, such, for example, as isobtained by fractionation of pine oil. The presence of small amounts ofimpurities such as beta-terpineol, gamma-terpineol, and traces ofanethol and terpene hydrocarbons, will not be objectionable. However,the terpneol will desirably contain not less than about 90% tertiaryterpene alcohols.

Generally speaking, compositions in accordance with this invention maycontain pure alpha-terpineol or commercial terpineol in amount withinabout the range 50%-?0% and water, containing an emulsifying agent, as afatty acid soap, in suitable amount, in amount within about the range50%10%. The various ingredients should be present in such relative-proportions as to be completely miscible, or as to form a clearsolution,

odor and a' gels, and the points y, h,

The terpineol for use in accordance `with this` which when added towater or to a water-soap solution, will immediately emulsify and form anemulsion of such stability that it will not break in the wet-scouring oftextiles.

In preparing compositions in acordance with 5 this invention any fattyacid soap or equivalent thereof, as, for example, sodium or potassiumoleates, stearates, etc., etc., ethanolamine oleates, stearates, etc.,etc., may be used, it being understood that potassium, sodium andethanolamine soaps will be equivalents. It will also be understood thatthe soap may be produced in the production of the compositions byutilizing a fatty acid and an alkali as ingredients.

In place of a fatty acid soap, the sulfonic acidsof fatty esters oracids, or their alkali metal salts; the acid sulfuric ester of fattyesters, fatty alcohols, or hydroxy fatty acids, or their alkali metalsalts; the sulfonic acids of fatty amides, or

their alkali metal salts, ing agents. Y

The relative proportions of the components, i. e. terpineol, emulsifyingagent and water, for the production of compositions in accordance withthis invention may be determined for any given emulsifying agent asfollows, with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich'the singleiigure is a graph with reference to the use of sodium oleate by way ofexample:

In the drawing the lines L, L', derived from reference to points a, b,c, d, indicating proportions of ingredients providing clear solutions atordinary temperatures, the points e, f, providing' providing opaqueemula sions, define the ranges of proportions of ingredients with whichclear solutions will be formed using sodium oleate.

l When a diierent emulsifying similar though not identical ranges maydetermined by those skilled in the art.

As illustrative, for example, a satisfactory composition in accordancew'th this Vinvention may be made up with terpineol not less than about50%, sodium oleate not in excess of about 37%, and water not in excessof about 40% the ingredients being relatively proportioned to form aclear solution.

More specifically, satisfactory compositions may be made up on thefollowing formulae:

may be used as emulsifyagent is used, be readily As furtherillustrative, for example, a satisfactory composition, in accordancewith this in vention, may be produced by mixing 14.0 parts of oleic acidwith 70. parts of terpineol, and then adding a solution of 1.88 parts ofsodium hydroxide in 14.12 parts of water and agitating until the alkalisolution is dispersed throughout the terpineol solution and has reactedwith the oleic acid. The action will be complete when the emulsion ofalkali solution in the alpha-terpineololeic acid solution becomes clear.Heating above ordinary temperatures will be unnecessary. Alternatively,the above composition may be prepared by dissolving 1.88 parts of sodiumhydroxide in 14.12 parts of water, adding '70 parts of terpineol, andwhile agitating, adding 14.0 parts of oleic acid, continuing theagitation until the mix clears. Again, the above composition may beprepared by mixing with 'l0 parts of terpineol, a sodium oleate soapsolution consisting of 15 parts of sodium oleate and 15 parts of water,agitating until the mix clears.

As will be appreciated, the composition may be prepared in any suitableform of apparatus, as, for example, a vessel provided with a stirringdevice.

In the use of a composition in accordance with this invention inwet-scouring processes, the composition will be added to water or to awatersoap mixture or solution in desired quantity and will promptlyemulsify therein and form a substantially stable emulsion.

The terpineol of the composition will then act in the process as aneffective detergent. penetrant and wetting agent.

It will be understood that it is not contemplated that this inventionshall be limited to the details given herein for full disclosure andexemplication of this invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcoholsand containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, in amountnot substantially less than 50% of the composition, a fatty acid soapand water, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give aclear solution.

2. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary -alcoholsand containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, in'amountwithin about the range 50-90%, and an aqueous solution of a fatty acidsoap in amount within about the range 50-10%, the ingredients beingrelatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

3. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcoholsand containing no more than traces of any terpene.

hydrocarbon, in amount not substantially less than 50%, sodium oleate inamount not substantially in excess of 37% and water in amount notsubstantially in excess of 40%, the ingredients being relativelyproportioned so as to give a clear solution.

4. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcoholsand containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, aboutsodium oleate about 25% and water about 15%.

5. A detergent, penetrating andA wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcoholsand containing no more thanA traces ,of any terpene hydocarbon, aboutsodium oleate about 15% and watenabout 15%.

6. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients terpineol, comprising not less than tertiary alcohols andcontaining no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, 'about 80%,sodium oleate about 10% and` water about 10%.

7. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients substantially pure alpha-terpineol in amount notsubstantially less than 50% of the composition, a soap and water, theingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clearsolution.

8. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including asingredients substantially pure alpha-terpineol in amount notsubstantially less than 50%, sodium oleate in amount not substantiallyin excess of 37%. and water in amount not substantially in excess of40%, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clearsolution.

WHEELER P. DAVEY.

